FalleN: "Having internal problems"

Following SK's dominating win over HellRaisers, which placed the Brazilians into quarter-finals, Gabriel "FalleN" Toledo talked to HLTV.org about Group B at EPICENTER and SK's level after their long break.

Losing to Virtus.pro, exchanging maps with fnatic and crushing HellRaisers, SK survived Group B and advanced to the quarter-finals at EPICENTER: Moscow.

FalleN shared his thoughts on SK's issues

After SK's last match took place Gabriel "FalleN" Toledo talked to HLTV.org about their results in the group stage and issues they faced following the three-month long break from LAN events.

First you met Virtus.pro and suffered a fairly crushing loss, why was the start of the event so disappointing from you?

Yeah, we had a very tough match against VP, as it always is. Both matches we started pretty badly, losing 0-7 or something, so both of them were very difficult to come back from. We're playing a high level competition and every team can win, so what makes the difference is how you react in-game and to what's happening. For us, at least in the first match, we didn't play as well as we could. We were making stupid mistakes, not playing as a unit and not playing for the strategy. So, we were doing a lot of mistakes and we're trying to fix it, I think today we showed that we can play better than in the first match.

Next you faced fnatic on the second day, Train was quite straight-forward but then you crumbled on Mirage, what happened there?

On Mirage we lost the first pistol round and had three good rounds, so it was 3-3. But then we were just hunting in situations where we shouldn't, lost two guys in a 4v1 situation where the guy had an AWP but we had the bomb. So there was no reason to chase, maybe you'll think this didn't change too much, but that actually forced us on an eco afterwards and we missed the chance to break fnatic's economy. Because of the mistakes, we couldn't get back in the economy game to be able to get a better T side. Despite that there were some other mistakes that we weren't able to fix, some reactions that we weren't doing properly that made us lose the game. But fnatic played super well, I have to say.

I'd like to talk about your level of play after the three-month break from LANs. Here you've made mistakes you usually rarely make, losing advantageous situations etc., how do you feel about the team's performance now?

I think it's not a break problem. We're having internal problems, mainly some relationship problems that should not be happening. And this kind of breaks the team spirit. When you lose the team spirit, then you can't proceed. Right now we're trying to fix it, we're trying to get our motivation back. I mean, this is totally our fault, this should not be happening, but sometimes it's really difficult. When you're living together, you have to spend all day with each other, sometimes it's just too much, you know. There's also the fact that when you reach the top, it's a whole other game to stay there. And we weren't mature enough to understand our mistakes, just because you're the best in the world it doesn't mean you don't need to perform better. That's the kind of mentality that we had, but hopefully we'll be able to fix it in the next games.

That's what I wanted to ask about as well - when I interviewed pasha, he said you might not know how to take the losses considering you have such expectations now, being the best team in the world for the past several months. Is it the inexperience with this type of a situation that maybe affects the young guys?

To be honest, this team is totally the opposite. We just got to the top level, because we knew how to lose. Every single time we lost, we were like "okay, we have to improve on this, this was bad, this was good, let's fix this for the next games." This kind of mentality, this kind of an approach, led us to becoming the best team in the world. But the problem is, you have to keep it, otherwise you crumble, and that's what's happening. Right now we're missing that [mentality], but we're working to get it back. If you don't work hard, someone will pass you, the competition is too high to just think you're going to stay at the top forever.

Group B wasn't that affected by the format's issues, but in Group A every single game was tied up until now. What do you think about the best-of-two's in round-robin groups?

For us getting out of the group was the most important, of course we wanted to place first to go into semi-finals, but second or third really doesn't make a difference. We don't know who we're gonna play yet, but I'm hoping to get pasha again. pasha, I'm waiting for you my friend, the biceps here is ready for you.

What about the event overall, EPICENTER have received a lot of praise for their approach to players. What are they doing better than other organizers?

The part outside of the game is awesome, they're taking care of all the meals, so that's very important. You don't have easy access to go out and get food, so this is making our life much easier. And the fact that we have computers that we can use is something we've never had, and it's something we've been asking for for a long time. This is something very special, because you can watch the other games, watch demos, play whenever you want. Most people don't know this, but most of the time you have at tournaments as a player is spare time. You can go out around the city, watch something, but it's kinda boring. Of course you can go out and visit some place, but you can only do that one day or two days maximum, so having a room like this makes our life so much easier and more joyful to be in the tournament. Besides that, the hotel is awesome, we had some problems with the server, some lag, but I think they're trying to work it out. It's their first time in CS:GO, so it's completely understandable they might have some fixing to do, but right now I think it's the top tournament I've ever played.

What do you make of the two off-days that you have between groups and playoffs, is that a problem considering the packed schedule CS:GO has nowadays?

No, you can use those two days to relax, maybe go visit Moscow or just practise, if teams want to do that.

Any final words, shoutouts to your Brazilian fans?

Yeah, thanks for the interview, thanks to SK for the support and our sponsors. Even to all you guys who are saying we're cheating, so even to you guys who like to criticise us, thanks to you guys as well, you're part of the community too.

I don't think is just because the fanbase, the whole move LG to SK was very shaddy and lies. Coldzera throwing some teammate under the bus (was a stand-in don't remember who) saying he is shit and that he doesn't understand the basics of CS and that they lost because of him. They are not a perfect humble team like you guys want to see it. There's more but can't really remember.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA what a joke...the tournament is not even over and they change rank alredy!!! What to expect...russian tournament...VP CEO is from Russia...HLTV is a retardelelele from EU...anything to try to dethrone SK...You guys are worms!!!

yeah i dont think fallen necessarily adressed what exactly pasha meant.
read like pasha meant: they are on top now and they dont know how to handle losses anymore after winning two majors in a row and thinking they are unbeatable.
and what fallen is saying is pretty much exactly that. they knew how to lose when they werent on top and when they lost against like tyloo or whatever bcs those were flukes, but VPs wins over them were actually legit.

Exactly, on top of that, this line up hit it from the start with success, surprising everyone. Facing hardships after reaching the top is much harder than when you are still climbing, since in the latter case you take every loss as a lesson and a motivational boost.

When taz and neo said this hltv retards said "excuses",when fallen says " ofcourse,that is why they play bad"
Also
I'm hoping to get pasha again. pasha, I'm waiting for you my friend, the biceps here is ready for you.
triggered and toggled.

"Yeah, thanks for the interview, thanks to SK for the support and our sponsors. Even to all you guys who are saying we're cheating, so even to you guys who like to criticise us, thanks to you guys as well, you're part of the community too"
FalleN God!

There's no cheating in this level of LAN games anymore. Online I can't say about the others but on LAN absolute not. If someone gets found go back here and put it on my face. For sure you will never come back.

KQLY also streamed, how is that a relevant fuckin point? The fact he's good doesn't mean he's not cheating. Magisk is also good and he's also cheating, flusha was also good and he was also cheating, coldzera might also be good (who the fuck knows, dude came out of the ass).

To ensure victory obviously? People make the same mistake, they assume that the fact pros cheat means they're bad players, on the contrary usually, they're good, but the cheats give them the small edge they need.

TACO is not the problem people.... COLD is the "issue" here, he had a relationship problem (broke up a 9yo relationship with his childhood gf) now he doesn't give a shit anymore, Fallen is trying to "bring" him back together, but he doesn't care, they'll need time tho....

yeah... cold is probably mad about it, and Fallen is trying to talk to him, but he doesn't want that, so, it probably creates this weird situation, where you are seeing that person all the time, but you don't wanna look in his face !!

Im fairly certain from what i saw yesterday against fnatic, someone, maybe more than one person is getting pissed of at those sprays TACO makes, i mean, he honestly cant hold shit. Lets be real for a moment, he needs to be cut, seems like teams have figured out that he is a week link, and they are just trying to push wherever site he is holding, look at the VOD of train against FNATIC he lost like 5 rounds on ct side just by himself not getting any kills holding that site, sometimes not even damaging them, simply just missing the bullets. I guess players on the level of coldzera, fnx, fer, even FalleN they start to think "wtf is he doing", "why have we not kicked him yet", "what a BOT" etc... I guess they need Boltz again, or Felps.
PS: When i said "even Fallen" im not syaing like hes worse than the others, i was saying that since is the "humble" guy so to say, maybe even him is getting mad at TACO. I actually think FalleN is their best player.

"When you're living together, you have to spend all day with each other, sometimes it's just too much, you know. There's also the fact that when you reach the top, it's a whole other game to stay there. And we weren't mature enough to understand our mistakes, just because you're the best in the world it doesn't mean you don't need to perform better. That's the kind of mentality that we had, but hopefully we'll be able to fix it in the next games."
Well said, FalleN :)

Internal problems:
fer and fnx: even being quiet put a lot of pressure.
cold: explosive and put pressure.
TACO: pressured by general.
fallen: trying to appease the group... and added felps in whatsapp.

They are having the same problem fnatic had. Internal problems. Between players. fnatic ended up splitting up because of it. Even tho they were the best its hard to play and move on with problems between them.

Let's be honest, nobody on the team are playing like a god, everybody are doing a lot of mistakes, we have to say, the performance of TACO BELL, is not so well, but him brings a lot of rounds, we have just watch him on B defese on train. I think coldzera have to consider your arguments because him are just judging other players and not seeing your own performance. I think the Fer have to change your kind of game, him are just being the first frag. That's it!

my gosh FALLEN the king, you are so humble
welcome to ITARARE PARANA BRAZIL
many majors and others tourna, even so peoople say to to kick taco Off
why you didn't sad that at the time they won a
2 major in a roll?
Do me a favor,
learne the game,
its quit different to play the game instead of understand the game.
wich team won 2 major in a roll?
After fnatic lineup changing, what they won?
nothing at all.
also don t forget they are adding new maps with a lot o changings.
I agreed , there at least 10 players better than Tacco, But i rather won 2 majors with taco, ijnstead of have a Fucked crack head that never won NOTHING.
I hope that 'internal problem doesn't mean
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$POWERGRRED

I think a big factor noone is talking about is how the pressure compounds and stirs shit up. FalleN is level headed enough to sort it out, they just need to chill and avoid the ego battles. You don't work well as a team without supporting each other despite mistakes. The best team possible will never put another team member down, instead they will try to understand what that member is going through and help them. Adding more pressure is the last thing you should do, but it's hard to control that ego.. really this is a great opportunity for them to become better people. FIX the problem? better off just accept things and stay focused on the here and now. Accept that everyone makes mistakes, tell each other its ok, we win together we lose together, get back to the focus being about each other. Ride it out, we all have ups and downs it's just part of being human, trying to CONTROL everything is the wrong way to live and interact with each other. Making changes doesn't necessarily fix anything anyway ! like he says, it has to do with mindset. Good interview